Why original condition is usually worth more
The instinct to clean it up first is the one that quietly costs you.
It feels helpful to polish the silver, refinish the table, or repaint the old sign before anyone sees it. On the wrong item, that instinct destroys the value.
In the secondary market, original condition is often the whole point. A piece of furniture with its original finish, a piece of silver with its original patina, a tool with its original parts — these are frequently worth more unrestored than restored, because that is exactly what a serious buyer in that category is paying for.
The rule is simple: do not clean, repair, or restore anything before someone who knows the category has looked at it as-is. Ask first. Clean after. A quick photo to the right buyer beats a weekend with the polish every time.
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